Gusty winds, dust and rain, yes monsoon season is here. As residents prepare for the summer rains, too many may forget about pets, plants and pools.
We have some tips that can help you get a head start.
Pet
If a storm can be scary for you, imagine your pets. It’s important that you also take care of them during the storm.
• Take some pet-and-you time, give them some comfort during the storm.
• Toads emerge during this time of the year, keep in mind that the Sonoran Desert toads (also known as Colorado River toads) are toxic and can be harmful for your pets.
• Make sure your dog’s collar is well-fitted and have up-to-date info in case they run away during the storm.
Plants
• Check the drainage system in the garden to avoid water stagnate since that can rot the roots of your plants.
• The pores of the plants open up during monsoon season, so, for extra nutrients for your plants, spread some mulch and fertilizers in your garden, the pants will absorb the nutrients better with the rain.
• Trees should be trimmed, avoid having branches on top/close to the house, the gusty winds can cause trees to break and can damage your property.
• Don’t forget to turn off your irrigation system, especially for trees. Built up water from the rains can make the soil around trees very soft making them an easy target to fall during the next storm.
Pool
Pools are a great way to avoid the warm summers in Arizona, but after a storm, you might not feel like getting into a muddy pool.
Experts at Pool Supply Warehouse posted on their website some tips to protect your pool during monsoon season.
• Don’t drain the water from your pool because the walls and floor can easily get damaged from debris and the worse would be to see your pool flooding on a water hole. Yes, it’s a chance that the pool can pop up.
• The dust will bring contaminants to your pool, so stabilize water chemistry and add algae controller before the storm hits. It would help you when you’re cleaning it after the storm. The algae controller beforehand would kill most of the bacteria blown into your pool, but make sure you still check the levels and add the necessary chemicals after the storm.
• To help you prevent any electrical problem, turn off and protect equipment even if there’s a small chance of it getting hit by a lot of rain, that includes breakers as well. Once everything is off, use water-proof covers to protect equipment such as pump, filter or motor.
For more tips, visit Pool Supply Warehouse.